Bangladesh has suspended visa services at its high commission in New Delhi and its assistant high commission in Tripura as bilateral relations with India come under fresh strain. The move follows demonstrations by protest groups outside both diplomatic missions, according to people familiar with the development.
read also: India Suspends Visa Services in Chattogram After Security Unrest in Bangladesh
The Bangladesh High Commission in New Delhi issued a public notice announcing the suspension of visa operations, citing unavoidable circumstances. A similar statement was released by the assistant high commission in Tripura after protesters gathered outside the mission on Sunday.
In addition to these closures, a private agency authorised by Dhaka to process Bangladeshi visa applications in Siliguri, West Bengal, has also halted its services.
The decision comes against the backdrop of renewed unrest in Bangladesh following the death of student leader Sharif Osman Hadi last week. Hadi was a prominent figure in the anti government protests that led to the collapse of the Sheikh Hasina administration. Sections of the protesters have also directed their anger towards India.
Tensions escalated further after a Hindu man, Dipu Chandra Das, was killed in Mymensingh amid the unrest. In another incident, a group of demonstrators attempted to storm India’s assistant high commission in Chittagong, prompting New Delhi to suspend visa services at that mission.
India also summoned Bangladesh’s envoy Riaz Hamidullah and conveyed serious concern over extremist elements allegedly planning protests around the Indian High Commission in Dhaka.
The Ministry of External Affairs said India strongly rejects what it described as a false narrative being promoted by extremist groups regarding recent events in Bangladesh.
The MEA further expressed disappointment that the interim government in Bangladesh had neither conducted a thorough investigation nor shared substantive evidence with India related to the incidents, underscoring the growing unease in bilateral ties.
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